We Cant Review Constituencies Without a New Population Census – INEC Replies Reps
Abdul Seye
POLITICS DIGEST – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has explained why it shied away from creating new Senatorial Districts and constituencies.
INEC in a statement blamed the lack of population census for not reviewing the existing constituencies.
The Commission in a statement by Festus Okoye, Chairman Information and Voters Education Committee disclosed this on Friday.
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DAILY POST had reported that the House of Representatives tasked INEC to review the electoral act.
The Commission said it would be hard to review the constituencies without a population census since Nigeria had its last census in 2006.
“The Constitution also provides that the Commission may embark on revision and adjustment after a national census, creation of states or by an Act of the National Assembly [Section 73 (2}].
“None of these conditions actually exists at the moment. The last population census was conducted in 2006, about fifteen years ago.
The Commission feels that revising or altering constituencies based on 15-year-old population data is inappropriate because the well-known rapidity of population changes in Nigeria would make nonsense of any outcome.
Source: Daily Post